ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays seem to enter Game 2 of their Wild Card series against the Texas Rangers channeling their inner Alfred E. Neuman. To paraphrase his catch phrase, "What, them worry?"
Because of age, there are plenty of you who will have that reference go over your heads. That age range could also include plenty of the Rays upon whom manager Kevin Cash is counting on to not only win on Wednesday and keep their 2023 season alive, but also to snap a club-record streak of six consecutive postseason game losses.
Cash lamented his team's age and how it could have led to a postseason club-record four errors in Tuesday's loss. However, that same youth could pay a dividend for the Rays on Wednesday because Cash doesn't sense any worry about facing the Rangers in an elimination game.
"I don't think they need reminders from me," Cash told the media on Wednesday before Game 2. "This is a pretty relaxed group. I'm very happy with the way they've come in today into the clubhouse. They seem to be more focused on playing ping-pong than they do watching MLB Network, so that's a good thing."
Kevin Cash isn't worried about the Rays despite Wild Card deficit
Being able to flush the mistakes from Tuesday is important, but the Rays will also have to figure out how to re-ignite the offense. Going back to last season's loss in Cleveland, the Rays have been held scoreless in their last two postseason contests.
"Yeah, I don't know if I have the best answer," Cash said when being asked about the offensive ineptitude. "I think what we've done all season long, it's kind of been led by the guys up top."
Among those guys on top is Randy Arozarena, who is well aware of the zeroes on the scoreboard.
"Yeah, we all know we've been struggling to score some runs," the All-Star outfielder said. "We all are doing our best to get hits. We all want to hit homers. Nobody is not trying to score runs. And I think the game just kind of happens that way. We've got to keep on going, playing hard. Our hits are going to come. Every game is going to be a little bit different. We're not trying to play that way, but we're hopeful that these next few games we score more runs."
For the Rays, there won't be "the next few games" if things don't go their way on Wednesday.
